Struggle was published first as a mimeographed newsletter in 1974 when the Workers Liberation League was formed. It was edited by Rupert Lewis and he continued as editor when Struggle became the organ of the Workers Party of Jamaica in 1978. In the 1980s editors included Elean Thomas, Elaine Wallace and Ben Brodie. The Workers Liberation League grew out of the political initiative of academics - Trevor Munroe, Rupert Lewis as well as Don Robotham, Derek Gordon who studied in the University of Chicago in the early 1970s and were connected to activists in the Black Panther Movement and African-American radicals in the Communist Party of the United States. The latter group formed the Paul Bogle League which brought together academics, working class and community activists who read and discussed Karl Marx’s Capital and Lenin’s political writings and sought to build on Jamaica’s radical traditions in the trade union movement and in the People’s National Party from the 1930s to the 1960s. The Paul Bogle League was also involved with the formation of the University and Allied Workers Union in the early 1970s and worked with the Independent Trade Union Action Council. Politically the Workers Liberation League gave critical support to Michael Manley’s democratic socialist program in the 1970s.

Issuing Body:

Vols. for -1978 issued by Workers' Liberation League; 1979- by Workers' Party of Jamaica.

All over the place the reactionaries are
ainting up slogans that IMF means "Is Manley
ault." The reactionaries are trying to hide the
act that it is the bauxite companies who cut
rack production and the capitalists who have
nt over $300 million out of the country.

It is not Manley's fault but the action of
imperialism that has caused the economy to go
iown. Manley's real fault is that in waging the
truggle against imperialism he makes the smile
pf Andrew Young and Carter take him in too
much while they are the very same ones stab-
ing him in the back with the IMF. Manley's
faultis that he has allowed too much franchise to
the capitalists in the PNP like Coore and Blake
who sabotage the country and then run. Manley's
fault is to allow the big landbarons and their
friends in the Ministry of Agriculture to hold
back the land from the people. Manley's fault is
to hold back on the anti lay-off law and on worker
participation. Manley's fault is that le has tried
to bring better for the working people whilst still
olding on to the capitalists.

These are faults not only of Manley but also of
many workers who want to stop half-way
because they believe there are good'
capitalists in the world And they are also afraid
of what the imperialists will do if 'e push them
too far. Such working people are looking
"overnight feeding." They are hoping that there
is some way out of the crisis which is going to
bring quick results and which is not going to
require us to stand up like men to the hostility of
he imperialists.

.The reactionaries who are painting up "Is
Manley Fault" are doing so to encourage this
idea that there is some "overnight feeding for
the working people to get if they reject Manley
and turn to Seaga

They are trying to make people believe that it
Seaga got back in power money would flow
business would pick up and jobs would he
created. These reactionaries are trying their
best to cover up what Seaga stands for. Seaga is
the man whofought against the bauxite levy in
1974. It was Seaga's right hand man Vaz who
opposed the minimum wage. It was Seaga who
hit out against land-lease and it is Seaga who
when he went to America urged the World Bank
and the IMF to impose harsh terms on Third
World countries.

Seaga is more IMF than the IMF itself and if
he ever came to power he would dose the
working people with the same "shock treat-
ment" with which the reactionaries dosed the
Chilean people after the overthrow of Allende
and which caused the standard of Chilean
working people to fall by a third.
Working people should take careful note that
Seaga in his House speech points to Chile, and
other fascist countries in Latin America as his
examples to Jamaica.

No worker should forget that all of these
countries are prisons for the working people and
heaven to the imperialists and the big man.
Every worker should understand that Seaga is
more IMF than the IMF itself.

SQUI

No prophe

W<

alte

IN A National br-
oadcast last week
Sunday tJe General
Secretary of the

evor Munroe, called
on the Jamaican pe-
ople to take the
workers alternative
to the IMF.
Comrade Trevor
explained that the
alternative to the
IMF was REJECTION
not renegotiation
as any IMF strategy
meant more capita-
list slavery for
the working people
and no chance of
any real recovery.

To tackle the
shortage of for-
eign exchange, Co-
mrade Trevor po-
inted out that pr-
ovided we put off
our debt payment
for this year and
cut down on most of

EEZING THE JAMAICAN WORKER

t or pharoah can help now

workers

frnative

our roreign travel
and other payments
to foreign capita-
lists, we would ha-
ve enough money
from our sales of
bauxite, alumina,
sugar and tourism
to pay for the oil,
medicine, raw mate-
rials, food, fert-
ilizer, spare parts
and other goods
which we need to
bring in.

The biggest di-
fficulty stopping
us from taking the
workers alternative
was not economics
but politics, Com-
rade Trevoraaid.
Because this al-
ternative would
hurt the imperi-
alists and the
capitalists first
and foremost and
they would try all
in their power to

play politics and
to turn us back.
Therefore for the
working people to
take this road they
must be willing to
face up to the pr-
essure from the big
man and to beat him
down. This will
require that
all workers
come together
to make great sa-
crifice but it
will be sacrifice
for socialism and
a better life. We
must be ready to
make this sacrif-
ice, but no sacri-
fice to build up
capitalism and the
big man.

There was no easy
road out of the ec-
onomic crisis fac-
ing the country.
Seaga was talking
about "renegotia-
tion "only as a
face card to ma-
ke the workers th-
ink that there was
some easy road out
which "the finan-
cial wizard" alone
knew and could find
if the workers tu-
rned to him. But
this was 'a.puss in
a bag'as Seaga had
said clearly that
"the strategy of
the IMF is not wr-
ong" and that "the
model is right". I

* IMF trap P. 5

* People's power In Ethiopia P. 7

* 11th Festival P. 6

I [I I !

Page 2

Bell says people

not yet ready

ON SUNDAY May 14
the East Central
St. Andrew Consti-
tuencies held its
All- groups meeting
at the Norman Man-
ley Secondary Sc-
hool with about 500
factory workers,
crash programme
workers, service
workers and youths
from PNP youth
clubs and groups
in attendance.
The highlight of
the meeting was a
discussion on the
IMF Agreements
witi Finance Mi-
nister, Eric Bell
w 'o was invited by
e F:, D.:. Duncan.
Only road
In- q estoning
Mr. Bell on the IMF
the workers asked
wnether the -I'
terms are good for
the country, wheth-
her the IT1 road is
the only road that
can be taken,what
steps does Govern-
inent plan to take
to root up corrup-
tion and dishonesty
in thde Civil Serv-
ice and whether the
acceptance of the
IMF terms by the
Government repres-
ented a setback
for the anti-imp-
erialist and soci-
alist thrust of the

UAWUJ

Government. Government took the ternative put for-
Mr. Bell evaded IMF road because ward by the comrade.
many of the ques- the working people The whole audie-
tions and coined are not "ready" and nce broke out into
the line that the "prepared" to acc- tumultous applause
IMF was the only ept the alternative, and cheers.
road that Govern- Not long after the The speaker made
ment could have Finance Minister it clear to the wo-
taken since the co- made the statement king people that
untry is badly in that the people are this alternative
need of foreign ex- not "ready" and 'pr- to the IMF would
change. Mr. Bell epared for the al- not eliminate all
also said that any ternative to the the hardships of
alternative that IMF, one member of \the working peop-
can be taken, in the audience spoke le but it would
the Government's about the working certainly make the
view, would cause people alternative, poorer classes str-
a lot of chaos and Mr. Bell must ha- onger and it wou-
dislocation in the ve got the shock ld ensure social-
economy. of his life at the ism in the future.
He also said that response to the al-
fl~i

Finance Minister Eric Bell (centre) explains patiently. The capita-
lists of the PSOJ Carlton Alexander (left), Winston Meeks and Tony
Johnson (right) couldn't care less what he is saying. No wonder
Minister of State Richard Fletcher covers his eyes in grief.ThepsOJ
had demanded a meeting with Government to have their taxes cut
despite their increased profits under the IMF agreement.

exposes hypocrisy of capitalists

THE FOLLOWING is a statement from the Jamaica Manufacturers Association
U.A.W.U. exposing the hypocrisy of the and the Private Sector Organisation
capitalists as shown in a recent speech of Jamaica who are the ones who will
by Avis Henriques, President of the Ch- benefit from this development since th-
amber of Conerce. ey are guaranteed the freedom of price
"The University and Allied Workers Uni- increases and a 20% profit, Mrs Henri-
on (UAWU) takes note of the statement ques' hypocrisy is clear for all to see.
by Mrs. Avis Henriques President of Ja- The UAWU reaffirm our rejection of the
maica Chamber of Commerce to the rece- Wage Guidelines, which we see as unre-
nt monthly meeting of the Chamber. In alistic and burdensome.
her statement Mrs Henriques attacked THE UAWU INVITES MRS HENRIQUES AND HER
the trade onions for their opposition FRIENDS IN THE JMA AND PSOJ TO SHOW TH-
to the harsh and unrealistic wage EIR LOVE FOR JAMAICA BY TAKING A JOB ON
aideles i sed as a res f te TH E PRODUCTION LINE IN ANY FACTORY OF
delnes imposed as a res f the THEIR CHOICE IN JAMAICA FOR 1 WEEK AND,
UAn U conderr this attack as hypocri- LIKE THE ,ORKERS TAKE THE BUS TO WORK
tical since Mrs Henriques is the same FOR THAT WEEK AND SEE IF THEY COULD
one who said last week t.at the terms OFF THE RAR PAID TO THE TARK
'the IM Agree'eant -were too harsc. zRS FLR THAT PERIOD.TFIS IS BETTER THAN
St'at t. hawcier 2oxt aE: iLG TnE This- I= BS ,t MEETINGS,
e it : j I}:li C A E, Z n VmeEATING STEAL AND
harsh for the worKing class b. nor. PE3FI' D FROC' T-E S-EAT
r ...e a. thei..r ,rie- i ., e Wa R Ni 3 D -.S ATTANC.

S W Ba All conmrses who wauii like the WLL roadmsut printed are called on to make I
a special contribution to meet the cost. Donations can be made to th League office I
I or c/ Str igI P.O. Box 187, Kgn. 7. I
mam.in ,e e..ei.-.-.-.-.a*-*-*-*-*-m -*-*m *-*-m

SEAGA AND the JLP have been caught
a tight spot by the IMP agreement.
They wholeheartedly support the I
strategy of freeing up the local ard
foreign capitalists while squeezing
standard of living of the workers.'
Seaga has even gone as far as to
ote from his speeches to show that
government is taking his advice to g
the capitalists more. He cannot
fore oppose the IMP strategy.
But because there is so much host
lity to the IMF the JLP is being
opportunist in trying to distance it
elf from its own policies.
More than this, Seaga knows that
IMF is not satisfied with the conces
ons they have won and will be trying
impose further concessions: to free
price and imports controls,reduce g
vernent expenditure and wages, whi
down the state sector especially the
STC.
Impossible
He knows that the tests have bed
formulated so that it is nearly i
ssible to pass them.
When the government fails Seaga wa
nts to again blame this on mismanage
ment. In tre mean time the BITU wil
be doing its best to demonstrate that
the Agreement cannot work.
Seaga therefore had to find some el
use not to support the IMF Agreement
Hence he repeated three times in his
eech in Parliament that government ul
renegotiate or resign. But he he t
spent the majority of his time trying
show that the government had mismanal
and only can negotiate with the IMF1
cause the foreign and local capital]
have no confidence in the government
Thus Mr Seaga's call for renegotia;
is just a face-card to give him the l
cessary room to manoeuvre. But eveq
this has got him into difficulty as:
leading capitalist spokesmen are cri:
cising opposition to the IMF as irAi
ponsible. Even the Gleaner had to s
that "it is more than unfortunate t)0
(Mr Seaga) did not spell out what
the renegotiation should take place
indeed whether such renegotiation is
ssible".
Education
In the face of this Seaga is now
fering conditions for cooperation wi
the government to present a united f
ont to the IMF.
But this cannot help the working p
ople. Seaga's renegotiation is ree
tiation with a firm committment tot
IMF as the best short and long run-
rategy for development of the economy
He is therefore different from the
large numbers of working people who
led to reluctantly accept the IMF be
ause they see no alternative.
It is clear however that as the ag
ement begins to bite that working pe
pie will be increasingly open to an
ternative. It is vital therefore th
we educate the people to reject Seag
fancy foot-work and prepare to make
necessary sacrifices and reject the
route and build the country in their
rest of the people and not a handf
of foreign and local capitalists.

rage

tizens petition Prime Minister Speed up the
P 0 0 0 'Speed up the

Discipline the M P! process of recall'
Ia O 1000 CITIZENS.

SSt oCahe P ine 'Remove all those in the path of progress'
aa St. Catherinef

e again peti-
oned the Prime,
ister about the
haviour of their
SRipton McPhers-

The people of
tmore have bee-
more and "mo-
fed-up with th-
so-called "rep-
6entative" whom
ey never see in
:ir struggles to
prove their comm-
ity.
Phis is the sa-
MP who told the
ass that he did
t know of the co-
ition of the Po-
nore Causeway-
re than 1 week
ter this co-
mity of over

(AK reacning terpri:
apaign, aimed out th,
preparing the One I
people to strug- ready (
a against the worker!
F and avoiding the IMI
e trap they have somethj
t for us, was in thei
t into gear by Workers
ie WLL last week. unanime
tens of thousa- opposit
of leaflets wages a
lining why the policy.
course is a there h
p and what is strikes
alternative The t
h have been di- to bring
ibuted in most king pe
the major towns the nee
industrial en- off the

'rike at Gore's
BKERS AT Gore's ease
ock and Tile fa- Worka
Dry have been on factory
rike since May

he workers are
ing no to the
Suffered by the
agement in kee-
g with the IMF
editions.
negotiations ha-
been going on
the past four
ths. The mana-
ent has been de-
'ing all along
11 the 15% res-
lint was imposed
the IMF. Now
Sell the wo-
; they can get
're than the
increase. The
S(B TU) is de-
inga-50% inc-

4

YOUARE BLOCKING OUR WAY!!

60,000 people had Council, is the la- calling upon you
been completely fl- test action in mo- as Prime Minister
ooded. nths of militant firstly, to take
The petition sp- struggles by the disciplinary act-
onsored by the New- citizens, tion against the
lands Community "The petition is lP for the area.

ers at Gore
Share paid

sis. To make $10
worker has to
take 10,000 tiles
off tie machine
and pack them in
a given order.
Take home pay is
$20 per week on an
,average for one wo-
rker who has been
with Gore's for 24
years.
If there are any
power cuts or cut
back in production
a worker may take
home $10 or less for
the week.
One worker from
the factory feels-
"only revolution
can change things".

Distribution of WLL leaflet at factory gate.
agreement. While IMF agreement be-
some feel that the gins to bite in
agreement is signed the weeks ahead
the WLL message
and nothing can be will strike deep
done, when the root.

Community activities

FOLLOWING ARE some
of the activities
marking the first
anniversary of the
Harmony Corruni-
ty Club in Water-
ford.
On Friday May
26th there is a
cultural concert
at Waterford Pa-
rk Way and Trel-
awny starting at
7.30pm.
On Saturday May
27th there is a
cricket match be-
tween Harmony and
the rest of Water-
ford at Waterford
Oval starting at
11.00am. On the
night there will
be a dance at Lot
2918 Blenheim Rd.
Finally on Sundav

May 28th the first
annual conference
of the Club will
be held at the
corner of Duncans
and Duanvale Rd.
starting at 6.00pm.
This marks the
end of a week's
activities.

THE MAJESTY Gar-
dens Womens' Club
will be putting on
a Concert in aid
of raising funds
for the club.
This will be
on Sunday May 28
at 4pm.
It will be on
the grounds of the
St. Andrew Settle-
ment in Majesty
Gardens.

3

Ripton Mc Pherson, ople raised this
who has completely problem as well
neglected us, and as corruption
secondly, to speed and asked for the
up the Process of right of recall.
"Recall" i.e. the t o l
But no follow-
right of citizens was done by
to recall their Government.
representatives to The Newlands pe
Parliament if he tion said:
is not performing "We feel that any
hs dues. society which does
not guarantee the
Non-performance people this right
cannot be truly ca-
The problem of non ZZed a democratic
performance by society".
representatives We want our co-
is one faced by untry to move fo-
thousands of work- rward, so we are
ing people. urging you, Hon.
At the Confer- Prime Minister, to
ence of Community remove all those
Councils, held th- in the path of pr-
is year, the pe- ogress now".
Lower Hall's Delight
Community:

'Reject the IMF
THE PEOPLE of Lo- the sacrifices and
wer Hall's Delight, efforts of the ent-
St. Andrew have nu- .ire nation".
mbered themselves The people of Lo-
among the thous- wer Hall's Delight
ands of Jamaican many of them small
working people who cultivators, have
are calling on the to do without
government to rej- water sometimes
ect the IMF terms for as much as 5
and lead the cou- days in a row.
ntry on a path of
true national li- Acti
beration .
In a resolution The Council is
to Prime Minister asking: "What kind
Manley, the Lower of a water pump is
Hall's Delight Co- it that breaks
mmunity said that down every week?"
the IMF terms pla- They have called
ced impossible bu- on MP Roy McGann
rdens on the poor and Councillor Pe-
classes, rry Stultz to check

No water

Reject the II
the Council: sa
"and follow a
th of genuine E
reliance based

into the situation.
"If something is
not done soon, Ha-
11's Delight peo-
ple are going to
take action", the
Community Council
said.

}l:t, 4
THE 1938 STRUGGLE represents
the very first time in the
history of Jamaica since the
Spanish conquered the isla-
nd from the Arawaks in 1494
and established the system
of slavery, that the whole
people of Jamaica rose in r
revolt.
United truggle
193l represented not just
Kingstonnor Montego Bay,
nor the East, nor the ce-
ntral areas of the country,
but the united struggle of
the entire Jamaican people.
As is well known, the str-
uggle which had opened with
the strike of cane cutters
in Serge Island in January
1938, really developed some
three months later with the
strike of workers construct-
ing the new Frome sugar ce-
ntral factory for increased
wages. On the 2nd of May,
after a week and a half of
the strike had elapsed, the
police fired on a crowd of
workers killing 4 and wou-
nding many more.
The incident could not be
confined to Westmoreland.
When news of it reached to
wn, it led to protest meet-
ings, marches and demonstra-
tions on a large scale. Th-
is strengthened the determi-
nation of the unemployed in
Kingston and other workers
to struggle for improved co-
nditions. On the 9th May,
the dockworkers successfully
prevented the unloading of
a ship which refused them
work. On the 13th May there
was a march of 300 unemploy-
ed to Headquarters House, wh-
ich housed the Colonial Le-
gislature, in search of wo-
rk: and on the 19th May do-
ckworkers at the United Fru-
it Company's wharves went o
out on strike, closing all
the iocks by the Monday of
the 23rd, 1938.
Spntoiansl
On this historic day, st-
reet cleaners, bus and tram
drivers and conductors; wor-
kers at the Sewage Pumping
Station; electricity work-
ers railway men and fire-
men, people who the colonial
oligarchy scorned as the
very scum of the earth, joi-
ned together in a spontane-
ous general strike which pa-
ralysed life in the capital
and threatened the rule of
the British in the entire
colony.
And even on this very day
the movement spread out of
the Corporate Area into the
surrounding parishes with
parish council workers going
on strike in Spanish Town
and Old Harbour and joining
the unemployed in protest
marches. By the following
day Tuesday, the majority
of workers in St. Catherine
had gone on strike and rail-
way and factory workers at
Moneymusk in Clarendon had
stopped working until pro-
mises of improvements had
been given them,

frm

"Per
. m

;
prsnt

byl'l Don

IHo.we'ver, apart from these
isolated effortss by these
and other workers in o'rt
;-rar.t an- 5Eo.;e. as a el as
hunger march in :Ion: ao 3ay,
it seemed that the coloni-
alists who had by then mobi-
lised all their military fo-
rces as well as 200 special
constables drawn from the
middle and upper strata, wo-
uld succeed in confining the
revolt to Kingston and St.
Andrew. Moreover although
the dockers refused to re
turn to work until 3ustama-
nte and Sf. William Grant
were released from custody,
the British had succeeded by
means of "volunteer workers
under police protection" i.e.
scabs, in getting the tram,
bus and other municipal ser-
vices functioning once more.
They confidently withdrew
troops from the downtown ar-
ea of Kingston and retained
only small forces stationed
at Central Police Station.
But British complacency was
misplaced and 4 days later
a completely different' sit-
uation had developed. From
a situation in which the re-
volt was confined to the
capital and surrounding are-
as plus isolated outbreaks
in tego Bay and St. Thom-
as the movement expanded to
Moneymusk and parts of Upper
Clarendon; Mandeville and
Lititz in Manchester; to
Black River, Santa Cruz and
at Malvern and Holland in
St. Elizabeth; to St. James,
St. Mary and Portland.
This marked a new phase in
the revolt the phase in
which it spread rapidly th-
rough the countryside and
became genuinely islandwide.

ks after the
be lavn he
-er as tamant
San been rele
ngston began
normal, this
reached its h
pment. Every
parish experij
wly awakened
tne masses:
strikes at Wo
monstrations
in Clarendon
deville and
beth; strike
reland: marc
nstrations i
monstrations
Montpelier,
Tryall; an u
small tenant
Spring and A
marches and
ades, in St,
around Clare
eague and dde
in St. Mary,
St. Thomas.

As was to b
- country w
77% rTaal,
gle which had
ly in the 04
towns among
and unemployS
climax amaogs
of the cout'
is reason, *t
a district -
does not hav
ons of the .s
they had WVa
It had takA
of enalaves
pavement 44 a

: In the following article we con-
tinue our series explaining how
the IMF works and how the
IMF agreement affects the
Jamaican people.

The principles by which
S the IMF is run make it im-
possible for decisions to be
made in the interest of the
majority of countries.
The votes in the fund are
allocated according to the
contribution of each country
'to the Funds assets. The
U.S., as one of over 133 me-
mbers today has at present
21 percent of the votes.
Although this has fallen
two percent in recent ye-
ars, the U.S. can still pr-
event adoption of any fec-
ision it does not agr'e .ith,
as an 855 majority is needed
for most important decisions.
Special Drawing Rights
(SDRs) which are considered
the IMF unit of account,
are allocated according to
the contributions of member
countries. In 1970 when
the SDRs were first issued,
the U.S.. received 24 percent,
while 39 African countries
received less than 5 perc
ent .
IMF headquarters is in
two we- Washington, just down the
ke had Street from the U.S. trea-
ays af- sury department. Countries
rant must submit for the IMF
nd Ki- (and for the U.S. governm-
trn to ents) detailed information
struggle about the state of its eco-
develo- nomy, foreign trade and st-
Srural ate of currency, budgetary
1e ne- expenditure and domestic
of economic and social poli-
neous cies. The IMF also has a
Ark de- great say in how the eco-
rikes nomy is run once a country
1 Man- has accepted its loans.
Iliza- For example, the IMF now
itno- has a man stationed in Jam-
demo- aica. He will meet with the
I de- Deputy Governor of the Bank
watere, of Jamaica once a week to
j ndn
of the review the economy. He can
e ask and get facts of which
nter other areas of government
S are unaware. Indeed it wo-
c uld not be stretching things
ecially to say that the IMF knows as
1iM n- much of or more about our
lons economy than the Prime Mini-
d ster and his Cabinet. If tie
IMF man is dissatisfied with
particular personnel such 's
ed in for example the-'head of the
S National Planning Agency, br
still even the Minister of Fina e,
strug- he can make this known, qg
proper- ite likely leading to these
rkers persons removal.
workers
4ched its ExImples
pasantry
e For th- Many examples can be gi.
hardly ven of the political and .
.which class approach of the IMF3
1tradi Even industrial capitalist
raditi- states like Britain have be-
hich en required, as a condition
8, of the IMFloan, to slash
-years .udget expenditure, on soi'
t, ens'- ciaX needs, reduce public
volt spending and stop nationa-
p g) ~izing a number of factor-'
o .8)

S,7 M

,.40 ,' "1

Ihu 1 s

The IMF recommended to Li-
beria and Sierra Leone coun-
tries favourable to capita-
lism, that they revise the-
ir laws on capitalist inve-
stment even further, with
a view to then complete "li-
beralization". George Lent,
a representative of the Fund,
insisted on greater privile-
ges being extended to forei-
gn investors in these cou-
ntries.
In Jamaica, the IMF has
got the government to iss-
ue a Ministry Paper on For-
eign Investment, allowing
100 percent foreign owned
firms to set up business
here.
The political interests
of U.S. imperialism can al-
so.be used to grant gener-

S"Next applicant pleas"

cus assistance to countries
whom the U.S. backs. In the
past two years for instance
South Africa has received
more credits from the Fund
than the other African co-
untries. The same is true
of Israel, Zaire and Chile.
These countries are granted
aid even when IMF experts
are opposed to it.
,The U.S. administration re-
gards the Fund as both an
instrument of financial pr-
essure on progressive gove-
rnments and as a guarantor
of capital investments by
U.S. private bankers. The
debts of Third World count-
ries now amount to more th-
an $250 million dollars and
this indebtedness is increa-
(Cont'd. on P. 8)

&

Page 6

XI World Festival of

Youth and Students

1 Havana, Cuba July 28 to August 5

Jamaica's spectacle

AN IMPORTANT fe-
ature of Jamaica's
cultural partici-
pation in the llth
Festival wi-
11 be the presen-
tation of a gala
spectacle.
Of the over 120
countries partic-
ipating only 35 wi-
11 have the oppor-
tunity to present
this rich two hour
long spectacle.
That we are among
the 35 is an ackno-
wiedgement of the
high standard of
artistic cultural
development achi-
eved by our co.i-
try. in spite of
the long years Ln-
.der E-itish colon-
ialis;. and Americ'i
an imperialism.
Jamaica's gala
spectacle will ut-
ilise all the forms

of performing arts
that the national
anti- imperialist
youth movement is
capable of presen-
ting.

An effort is
now being made to
present two hours
of entertainment
which will high-
light the resistan-
ce of a people un-
der bondage. Thus
the Maroon and Ku-
mina Dances perfor-
med by Titchfield
and the St. Thomas
group, respective-
ly will form an im-
portant sequence
in the gala.
These two dances,
deeply impressed
the judges at the
April 29 finals at
Ward Theatre. The
Hatfield (Westmor-
eland group of si-

ngers also will
bring a wealth of
folk songs into the
Gala Spectacle. The
representation from
rural Jamaica will
be strong in the
Gala.
Another feature
of the Gala is the
IMF mime-skit pre-
sented by a group
of dramatists:from
the Cultural Trai-
ning Centre.
Debt trap
This
mime,entitled "The
Debt Trap", depicts
in no uncertain te-
rms the injustice
done to countries
like our own which
go to the IMF when
what we produce fa-
lls short of what
we need. It shows
further how when we
turn to imperialism
we have to kiss his

boots or do a da-
nce before getting
the money.
The lesson in
the IMF skit is w
dead on target.
Backed up by the
plaintive tones
of the best of our
reggae protest mu-
sic it should pr-
ove a hit with a-
mong the large au-
dience in Cuba.
Fab. 5
Enriching our
Gala spectacle wi.
will be the Fabu-
lous Five band
and the National
Dance Theatre Co-
mpany, who will bi-
going to the Fest-
ival as guests of
the Cuban Governm-
ent. Their high
international sta-
ndard has already
won them fans in

NPC Post Ex hibition opens

Cuba, among them
no less than Fidel
himself.
Lenin Park
Jamaica's Gala
Spectacle will
be staged in the
Lenin Park amp-
hitheatre. This
must rate as one
of the most fabu-
lous theatrical
spots. in all of
Latin America.
Its circular stage
floats in and out
on a lake before
a slope accomoda-
ting 5000 people
in comfortably
structured seats.
The changing rooms
are located bene-
ath the stage, wh-
ich move round and
round.
The Jamaica NPC
is determined to
make the 5000 pe-

ople who will see
the show remember
our Gala Spectacle
for a long time.
When the finale
ends every spec-
tator will want
to join the cast
on stage in rock-
ing to the rhythms
of our reggae.

I 'M other'
Success in Black River

I:FOR 1.ATION and
Culture Minister,
Arnold Bertram has
congratulated the
Jamaica National
preparatory Comrm-
ittee for mor.it-
in- the Ilth Fest-
ival Poster and Cr-
aft Exhibition at
the Tom Redcam Li-
brary and for the
work they are doing
to make Jamaican
aware of the Fes-
tival and its mnpo-
rtance to the cou-
ntry.
In opening the
Exhibition the Mli-
iister also noted
that the timing of
the Exhibition to
coincide with Wo-
rkers ieek :as r
importance in rel-
ating the strugg-
les of today to
those in 1938.
"The balance of
forces are more in
our favour than th-
ey were in 1938",
he said. He also
pointed out that
the gains of the

small farmers and
workers in the co-
untry were being
threatened and that
the conditions im-
posed on Jamaica
by the IMF had led
to a certain amount
of demoralisation
among the youth.
Challenge
Coordinating Se-
cretary of the JN-
PC, Joy Eoothe, re-
ad a message from
Youth and Sports
Minister, Hugh Sm-
all, who challeng-
ed the JNPC to mo-
unt the exhibition
in every parish ca-
pital and expressed
the view that by
the tige r..e Jama-
ican delegation le-
ft for Cuba the
masses or the youth
will be aware of
the Festival.
Sr. Otto Marero.
Cuba's Cultural
Attache to Jam-
aica expressed so-
lidarity with the
JNPC on behalf of

Minister of State for Mobilisation, Information
and Culture Hon. Arnold Bertram (right) and
Cuban Cultural Attache to Jamaica Otto Marero
look closely at a. 11th World Festival of Youths
and Students bulletin at the opening of the NPC
11th Festival Exhibiton.

the Cuban people
and spoke of the
May Day rally in
Cuba at which
120,000 people ma-
rched in salute to
the 11th Festival.
The exhibition is
made up of posters

on the Festival cr-
aft made in Cuba
for the Festival
and photographs of
the 10th Festival
held in Berlin and
East Germany. It
will be at the Li-
brary until May 23.

lZ- tO fig
the HBM an
people awa
our activi
This occas
no excepti
they tore
our banner
tising the
and triqd
ourage peo
coming.
This tim
ver the pe
not take t
ti-conmuni

f its co- More than 200 peo-
is to the ple turned out to
SFestival the play and enth-
and Stu- usiastically appla-
Hugh Bu- uded the very pro-
ement la- fessional and pro-
.y succe- gressive performa-
,sted the nce of the cast.
lary wo-
s play Seminar,
n Black Rcnert
S concert
acei in THE CARIBBE;--
AN Ecumenical
Youth Action Co-
.wars 'c- r:'ittee, is join-
and their in *,-i th the St.
S -.cras Frepara-
--'a/s .ry Com-ittee,
to aut on a Sem-
= act- minar and Concert
ht dow. on te Eleventh
d keep World Festival of
y from Youth and Students.
ties. Venue will be the
sion was Lyssons Community
on for Centre in St. Th-
down mas. Date: Friday
adver- May 26, beginning
play at 2p.m.
to disc-
pie from ^ *
plc from Towards

e howe-
ople did t -Fet
heir an-
st bait.

Comrade Mengistu and Comrade Fidel Castro in Cuba.

People's Power in Ethiopia

TO MARK African Liberation Day May
25, 1978, STRUGGLE reprints parts of a
speech given by Comrade Haile Marian',
leader of Socialist Ethiopia. MengistU-
was speaking at a mass raZly in Cuba's
Revolution Square attended by over one
million people on April, 26th, 1978.
COMRADES the land is th'e basis of the
feudal.mode of production, and yet
millions of Ethiopians had no land.
NINETY-FIVE PERCENT of the arable land
belonged to the ruling classes, while
millions of peasants lived as share-
croppers.
DUE TO the system of land tenancy and
ownership, the shameless landlords
appropriated 75 to 80 percent of the
produce of the sharecroppers.
WHAT'S MORE, given that the peasant
was also under the obligation to pay
different kinds of taxes and carry
out many services for the landlord, the
oppression was both extreme and un-

THIS STRUGGLE involved the whole
country and turned into the tumultous
Revolution of February 1974. Workers
peasants, soldiers, students, democratic
elements and other strata of the
oppressed classes rose up in revolution.
THEY INTENSIFIED the struggle, and
by means of a coordinated "mvement of
the masses ana the armed forces, the
monarch who had ruled the country for
over 50 years was deposed in September
1974, and the monarchy that had lasted
centuries was abolished once and for all
(APPLAUSE).
DUE TO the fact that the great masses
had been deprived of their political
rights under the old regime, there was-
n't even one politically organized
group that could take power. Con-
sequently, the armed forces took on
the responsibility of state leader-
ship, and for the first time in th-
eir long history the Ethiopian ma-
sses had state nower.

Imperialists Land

Troops in Zaire

FRENCH ADM Belgi-
an troops support-
ed by.18 military
transport planes
and West German
arm shipments have
seized the South
ern mining town of
Kolwezi in the
Shaba povince of
.aaia.s.last .weak.

FRENCH AND Bel-
gium claimed to be
acting to "rescue"
about 3,000 whites
caught in the
fighting between
liberation forces
struggling to over
throw the corrupt
pro-western dicta-
tor Mobutu.
IN FACT the'"

"rescue mission"
resulted in the
deaths of many of
the Europeans (sone
at the hands of tle
hands of the'
French troops) and
was just acover
for the west to
prop up their pup-
pet Mobutu;
FRAICE IN parti- :

cular has maintain
ed close ties with
racist and corrupt
regimes in Africa,
acting as front man
for the United
States who, since
their fiasco in
Angola, have to
keep behind the
scenes.
BETWEEN 1972-77
France sold $I bil
lion worth of arms
to South Africa in-
cluding Alouette
and Super-Frelon
helicopter gun-
ships as well as
Mirage jet fight-
ers.
NO IMPERIALIST
troops are to be
sent to overthrow
Smith and Vorster
but instant joint
landings can be
made in Zaire to
prop up Mobutu and
to "resar,-: Euro-
peans
WHAT A CONTRAST
with the role whicl
Cuba and the
Soviet Union play-
ed in Angola,
Ethiopia and are
ready to play
again in Zimbabwe.

Page 7
AMONG THESE victories, I would like to
mention briefly the following:
The land problem, that was a burn-
ing issue in the long struggle of the
peasantry, has been solved by nation-
alising all rural land(APPLAUSE).
The basic means of production and
distribution such as the banks and
insurance companies that were instru-
ments of exploitation, in the hands of
the imperialists and the local compra-
dor bourgeoisie have been nationalized
to the benefit of the broad masses.
(APPLAUSE)
Urban land and additional houses,
which were complementary means of ex-
ploitation of urban dwellers, have also
been nationalized
The .schomis are now controlled by
the masses.
S new labour law has been passed.
To strengthen and safeguard the co
ordinated struggle of the masses and to
achieve their legitimate emancipation
by the only way, through socialism, the
Program of the National Democratic Re-
volution was drawn up and is being
carried out. (APPLAUSE).
To further the political awareness
of the masses and enable them to
organise themselves to play the role
of bulwark of the Revolution, we have
set up a provisional office for the or-
ganisational affairs of the masses and
the Marxist-Leninist Political School.
The broad masses will achieve final-
victory over their enemies only when
they are politically aware, organized a
and armed. The conditions are being
created for workers, peasants and pro-
gressive forces to participate in the
revolutionary process.
Equality for all nationalities
and religions has been recognized, and
the means for enforcing this are alrea-
dy being worked out.
The government has created favour-
able conditions and is taking all
measures it deems necessary to help the
progressive forces set up their van-
guard: The Party of Labor.

WFTU Congress

COMRADE Lambert Brown recently returned
from the 9th World Trade Union Congress
held in Prague, capital of Czechoslova-
kia Socialist Republic between 16th and
23rd April.
Comrade Lammy, Vice President of the -
UAWU, was his Union's representative at
the Congress.
Over 120 countries were represented
at the Congress with over 150 speakers
speaking in 14 different languages.
The Congress served to strengthen
the UAWU's young but developing inter-
national relations.
The Congress unanimously adopted a
Charter on the Universal Declaration
of Trade Union Rights as a document on
action and policy.

Did You Know?
DID YOU KNOW that at the end of
1976 US investments in the Repub-
lic of South Africa and Namibia
alone was more than $2,000 million?
** That nearly 6,000 American
amToanies do business in South
Africa?
** That these companies make an average
rate of profit of 3-'r of the inves-ad
capital.
** that this rate of profit is 50" high-
er than in the rest of the capital st
world?
** Can you guess who likes apartheid
labour?
r

Page 8

0

by Trevor Munroe
General Secretary, W.L.L.

Even some progressive people are now
saying that Manley is to blame for the
crisis the country is facing and the
oppression that is coming down on poor
people at the present time. These
comrades are saying almost the same
thing as Seaga and the imperialists
"IMF is Manley fault". These
comrades are forgetting what every
worker knows who tries to bring in a
union at his work place.
WHAT EVERY worker learns is that
bringing a union is a serious struggle.
From the moment the most conscious
workers make the first move no matter
how serious the workers are, no matter
how skillfull the union organiser is,
the capitalist is bound to do every-
thinc to frighten the workers and to
get there to let go off the union.
Change
TB- CAPITALIST uses his spies among
the workers to find out who is the
"ringleader", who are the workers
"putting up" the rest to bring in a
union against him. The capitalist
tries -o push -ut the "ringleaders";
bribe those workers who on ly want
a few more dollars on their pa-y;
there. he capitalist cuts our over-
time, lays off other workers and
speaks every kind of propacanda
against the union. The more wicked
capitalists even prefer tc close the
business and to lose roney rather than
make the workers bring in a union.
NO .ATTER W iAT THE WORKERS OR THE
UNION LAN DOES IT ALWAYS TAKES TIME,
IT IS ALWAYS A SERIOUS STRUGGLE TO
BRI;NG IN A UNION AND TO REALLY GET
RI- OF OPPRESSION..
I: 1972 and again in 1976 the
majority of workers, of youths, of
women, of students, of farmers, of
small business people and even of
middle class people all over Jamaica
decided to change their condition, to
bring in a union to fight against
imperialism and the big people.

DON'T CARE WHAT WE DID, ONCE WE
TOOK THE FIRST STEP TO BRING IN A
UNION THE IMPERIALIST AND THEIR
AGENTS ERE BOlUND TO BRING DOWN WORSE
OFR'ESSICN TO GET US TO LET GO.
NO -TTiE what any leader does, no
matter what Ianley did or did not do,
no matter what he said or did not say,
once the imperialists learnt about
the first steps to organise the new
union the Bauxite Levy, the friend-
ship with Fidel Castro, to take over
land, of RJR, the constitutional reform
the moves to worker participation,
the education of the people against
imperialism once the imperialist
saw these steps nothing on earth could
prevent them from bringing down
pressure on the people and the govern-
ment.
Propaganda
JUST LIKE nothing can stop the
capitalist management when workers
take the first step to bring in a
union, nothing can prevent the
imperialists from attacking the
Jamaican people with the CIA, with
anti-communist propaganda with
sabotage of production, with send-
ing money out of the island, with
cutting off loans and credit, with
cutting down the foreign money we earn
from sugar, bauxite and tourism.
THE BALANCE OF PAYMENTS CRISIS AND
THE BUDGET DEFICIT IS NO MORE
MANLEY'S FAULT THAN IS THE VICTIMISA-
TION OF WORKERS BY THE CAPITALIST
WHEN WORKERS TRY TO BRING IN A
UNION.
ANAGE:N:-ENT WILL always tell the
workers that it is the union that
cause them to -cffer. They say "is
the union fault" just like how Seaga
and the big people are saying "is Man-
ley fault". Backward workers will
always swallow this propaganda. But
there can be no excuse for serious
corrades going along with the propa-
ganda instead of beating it down.
Off the hook
-*HERE ;ANLEY must take most of the
blame is for not preparing the working
people enough not educating, organis-
ing, uniting the people enough to
struggle against imperialism and for
socialism.
THIS IS far different from blaming
Manley for the wickedness of imperia-
lism. To blame him for that would be
like blaming the union man and the
union when the capitalist begins to
victimise workers. Comrades who are
doing this must realise that all
blaming Manley is doing is letting
imperialism off the hook and further
confusing the working people.

Seaga has a new voice

JLr SUPPORTERS
have been remark-
ing on the absence
of the JLP party
paper, the Voice,
frc- the newsstan-
ds.
The word is that

the Voice nas Deen
forced to suspend
publication becau-
se its printery .
has been seized by
the Jamaica Devel-
opment Bank beca-
use of debts owed.

Majesty Gardens Women's

Club fnd-raising concert

Sunday, May 28 at 4 p.m.

VENUE.

St. Andrew Settlement

Seaga and his
supporters have no
use for the party
organ, because Jo-
seph McPherson the
man who runs the
Voice is a Shearer
man.

Seaga has a new
"Voice" which spe-
aks to the big man
and not JLP and
BITU people. Se-
aga's new "Voice"
is the Daily Gle-
aner.

Growing

opposition to

RA rnham

CCMRADE CHEDDI
Jagan, General se-
cretary of the Pe-
oples Progressive
Party in Guyana
stopped over brie-
fly in Kingston on
his way from Geo-
roeton f Mi.m_

and Washington.
"hile here Comrade
Munroe, General
Secretary of the
W.L.L. exchanged
views on the poli-
tical situation in
Guyana and in Jam-
aica with Comrade
Jagan.

Comrade Cheddi
pointed out that
opposition was gr-
owing throughout
the Guyanese work-
ing class to the
attack on the wor-
kers' standard of
living by the eco-
nomic policies of
the Burnham regime.
Disaffection with
the Burnham consti-
tutional reform
plan was develop-
ing amongst lawy-
ers, doctors, and
other sections of
the Guyanese mid-
dle class as well
as among workers.
The main objec-
tive now was to
bring about closer
co-ordination and
greater unity am-
ongst various pro-
gressive opposi-
tion tendencies,
Comrade Jagan poi-
nted out.

IMF (cont'd. from Page 5)
sing at an annual rate of 22 percent.
The IMF seal of approval tells the fo-
reign. bankers that the IMF has control
of the economy and will ensure repay-
rent. Here in Jamaica, the first aim
of the IMF has been to ensure that Ja-
maica pay up all its debts.
The record of the IMF is particular-
ly negative in the case of Third World
countries. None of these countries ha-
ve overcome their basic economic probl-
ems as a result of IMF help. They are
as indebted as ever- tied to the capit-
alist system as ever.
And that is why the IMF is more and
more criticised by developing countr-
ies and a movement is growing for chan-
ging this system.

1938 (cont'd. from Page 4)
again but at last, after 400 years the
people had come together in a single co-
mmon movement to oppose their oppress-
ors and to struggle for a new life.
For this reason, no matter how prof-
ound the social changes the futu-
re brings to Jamaica, 1938 will alwa-
ys stand out as that historic occasion
when the people came together for the
very first time.

OPENING OF

EXHIBITION
ON
"The Liberation of Africa
on May 25"
Venue ACIJ, 11 North Street
(enter on Little North Street)
Times 3 p.m.